Jumping the Broom (2011)

(On Cable TV, August 2022) As much as I’ve come to enjoy low-budget BET original all-black romances for their imperfections, there are times when I hunger for something a bit more polished, with better actors and production values. In this regard, at least Jumping the Broom delivers—taking place in picturesque Martha’s Vineyard (well, Blue Rocks, Nova Scotia) and featuring notable actors such as Paula Patton, Angela Bassett, Loretta Devine, Mike Epps and Meagan Good. The film also benefits from a script that’s noticeably more ambitious and tightly written than the sometimes-amateurish writing found on BET. Much of the plot revolves around the class differences between a groom of humble origins and a bride coming from a moneyed background. But nothing is permanent, and Jumping the Broom has a bit of fun in taking apart the illusions of the richer characters over the course of a contentious destination wedding. The earthiness of some working-class characters (most notably the best friends played by Devine and Tasha Smith) clashes well with the pretensions of the upper-class ones. As the title of the film suggests, there’s a more ambitious than usual flavour to the discussions of how blackness may or may not intersect with money and authenticity—especially as it becomes obvious that some rich characters are floating on nothing. There’s some visual quality to the work from director Salim Akil, and the script usually overcomes its weaker moments with some deft character work. Not all plot threads are tied up gracefully (the revelation that one partner has enough secret funds to stay rich is the stuff that normally splits couples) but if you follow in the intended spirit of fun that the film wants you to have, then Jumping the Broom is a good-enough romantic comedy.